Atlanta Area High School Volleyball Player Dies After Ambulance Fails to Show

Amanda Sylvester, 15, collapsed at club volleyball practice and passed away later at hospital

Amanda Sylvester, 15, died at an Atlanta area hospital after collapsing during a club practice and never receiving ambulance transport. The Atlanta area athlete was transported to the hospital in her mother's van after waiting more than an hour for an ambulance. / Dream Chasers Volleyball Club & Athletics Instagram page

A Greater Atlanta high school volleyball player died at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta hospital after an ambulance failed to respond to a medical emergency at a club practice, according to a story by Atlanta News First.

Amanda Sylvester, 15, had gone into physical distress and collapsed during warmups for the Dream Chasers volleyball club on Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Tracey Wyatt Recreation Complex.

Although first responders from the College Park Fire Department and other medical services responded quickly, Grady EMS “never fully responded” to a request for an ambulance, according to a statement from College Park officials given to the media.

Sylvester was able to speak to emergency responders at the scene, according to the statement, but the teen never received assistance from an ambulance after repeated calls for help and more than a one-hour wait. Finally, Amanda was loaded into her mother’s van and transported to the hospital, where she subsequently went into cardiac arrest and revived once before dying.

“It’s a sad situation,” Dream Chasers Volleyball Club Executive Director Collette Bagwell told High School on SI

Dream Chasers Volleyball Club coach Catherine Murray called the ambulance delay “unacceptable,” in an interview with Atlanta News First.

“We have precious lives in our hands, and we’re responsible for these precious lives,” she said. “We have to have a better network and system to protect these kids.”

The absence of an ambulance in an emergency situation has prompted city officials to investigate.

“We are all devastated by this tragic loss of life at such a young age,” Dr. Emmanuel Adediran, College Park’s city manager told Atlanta News First. “Our Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department staff, College Park Fire Rescue as well as the volleyball club coaches, parents and staff followed all protocols related to an injury or health care distress.”

“Our deepest and heartfelt sympathies go out to the young woman’s family, friends and teammates,” city officials added.

In a statement obtained by Atlanta News First, Grady EMS said the initial call was categorized as a situation with “low acuity,” or low severity.

“A College Park Fire unit responded to the scene and was equipped to provide medical care and transport if necessary. Following an update on the patient’s condition, the call was reclassified, and a Grady EMS unit was promptly dispatched,” the ambulance service said. “However, as our unit was en route, College Park Fire determined that additional EMS support was no longer needed due to the patient being transported to the hospital via personal vehicle.”

Poor response times by ambulance in Grady County has been a problem for a while now. Atlanta News First did an investigation in 2022 that showed that Grady’s average monthly response time for critical calls was between 22 and 29 minutes, and between 46 and 89 minutes for less urgent calls, according to state reports.

Former College Park Fire Department Chief Wade Elmore told Atlanta News First in 2023 that an antiquated system that determines proper routing of an ambulance to take a patient to a hospital has eroded response times. Elmore said a patient can be forced to wait for close to an hour before receiving an ambulance from Grady EMS.

“We cannot transport them unless it’s a life-threatening situation,” he said. “... A patient who had mild chest pain, where we had to sit on scene and wait for an ambulance — after 20 minutes or so, conditions changed, the person has gone into cardiac arrest.”

Bagwell said the club is in process of raising money to assist the Sylvester family. She said more information is expected to be released on Monday.

The Dream Chasers posted about Sylvester on their Instagram page: “It is with great sadness we inform the volleyball community of the passing of our sweet, Amanda Sylvester. “Amanda was a bright light, not just in our gym, but in the lives of everyone she encountered. We are honored to have encountered such an amazing young spirit, number 21.”

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--- Follow Jeff Gardenour on Twitter @JMarkG1962 or email him at jgardenour1962@gmail.com